Intolerant
by SleevedWhiteSnow
Summary: "I'm intolerant," seven-year old Edward stated seriously. Different people have intolerances for different things. She was sure her son's wasn't for milk.


**Just a bit of Elric family fluff, something we were heavily deprived of in the show... I'm pretty sure Ed was 7 and Al 6 when Trisha died. This is set just before she fell ill.**

 **Enjoy!**

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Seven year-old Edward Elric scrunched up his face, glaring at the glass of creamy liquid in front of him. Next to him, his younger brother lowered his own glass from his lips, revealing a visible trail of white bubbles beneath his nose. Little Alphonse kicked his legs back and forth under the table, eyes brightening at the sight of his mother entering the room, carrying two plates of chocolate cake.

"What's this?" Trisha asked as she placed them down in front of her sons, glancing between the two glasses on the table. The older boy's held the exact volume she'd poured into it ten minutes ago and she was sure it hadn't moved a millimeter. Her youngest son's glass was empty, spare for a few drops in the bottom. She gave a small, inward sigh.

"Ed," the woman looked down at her eldest son playfully . "Why didn't you drink your milk?"

The boy in question didn't look at her, his gaze fixed intently on his glass. "I'm intolerant," he stated seriously.

Trisha raised an eyebrow, surprised at the new word in her son's vocabulary. "Intolerant?" she repeated.

Edward nodded, eyes never leaving his glass.

"And why are you intolerant to milk, sweetie?" his mother asked, a curious smile on her lips.

"Because he hates it," Alphonse answered for him. He took a bite of his cake, leaving a few crumbs behind on his milk mustache.

Trisha sat down in the chair opposite them and reached across the table to wipe his face clean with her handkerchief. "Do you boys know what the word 'intolerant' _means?"_

"Yup!" Alphonse nodded excitedly. "Connie told us he didn't come to school yesterday because he found out he was lack-tow intolerant. The doctor told him he can't drink milk because his body doesn't like it."

"And I don't like it either so I'm intolerant too," Edward mumbled, finally lifting his gaze. "That means I don't have to drink it anymore, right?"

Trisha's eyes crinkled as she gave him a knowing smile. "You're not lactose intolerant, Ed."

The little boy stared back at her wide-eyed. "Yes I am!" he declared loudly, offended that his mother didn't believe him. She put her hand over his and gave it a light squeeze.

"Connie is lactose intolerant because milk makes him sick," she explained. "Milk doesn't make _you_ feel sick, does it, Ed?"

"Sick?" both her sons exclaimed in sudden concern. "But he was at school today!"

"Not sick like _that,"_ Trisha assured them softly. "It's a different kind of sick. Being lactose intolerant means you can't drink milk because the lactose _in_ the milk gives you a funny feeling in your tummy. It doesn't mean you are permanently sick, but your tummy doesn't feel nice each time you drink it."

"Ohhhhhh," Edward said slowly, nodding in understanding. "That makes sense."

Alphonse looked back and forth between his family members, his expression a little lost. He didn't have any more questions on the matter though, with the remaining few bites of chocolaty richness in his plate. The young boy shrugged it off, eyeing his brother's untouched cake. Maybe he would be allowed another slice if he finished his own quickly.

Their mother nodded, waggling her eyebrows at Edward. "That's right. Now, just because you don't _like_ milk doesn't mean you don't have to drink it like Connie… If you don't drink your milk, you'll never end up growing big and strong."

Alphonse looked up, a grin flashing across his face. _"I'm_ bigger and stronger than Ed already, right Mum?"

Trisha ruffled his golden locks. "Well you are certainly taller. But Ed can still catch up soon if he drinks his milk."

Edward huffed, sticking out his bottom lip. "I don't need milk."

"Well, you're going to have to drink it someday or you won't grow any taller," Trisha said with a mixture of warmth and sternness. She stood up and took his full glass to the kitchen. When she returned to the table, she was surprised to find Ed staring down at his cake, not having touched it, his brow crinkled in thought and a small pout on his lips.

"What's wrong, sweetie? Don't you want any cake?"

"No, I'm fine," her son replied, looking up and picking up his spoon. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Can people be intolerant to other things besides milk?"

"Yes. Different people have different intolerances, but some people are lucky and have none."

"Oh, okay..." Edward's brow creased further as he took a bite of chocolaty richness. He chewed for a moment, eyes drifting back to his plate.

"I think I might be intolerant to Winry."

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 **Thanks for reading. Check out my other stories if you guys like Royai :)**

 **God bless!**


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